He plays a villain in his latest award-winning movie, and actor Luthuli Dlamini admits he's no angel in real life either. Known for his smoky voice in various commercials and local soapies, Dlamini is celebrating his 50th birthday.He is unapologetic about his controversial past, which has included reports of him being fired from starring roles, missing work, and living in a Randburg brothel."I am not shy about doing the things I do or going to the places I go," Dlamini said."I spent a lot of time there [in the brothel] shadowing a lot of dodgy characters and some good characters; I write stories which I am trying to get told."I don't give a s**t how people perceive that because there are people who have marvellous stories within those places."I've cocked up definitely, there is no excuse or any reasoning that I could put forward," he admitted. "There have been times when I should have been at work and didn't rock up to work, there have been times when I felt I've been fired unjustly, but I am not going to dwell on that ... I've moved forward," he said.Dlamini is perhaps best known for soapies - he has starred in Generations, The Road, Muvhango and Scandal. But to mark his big 50, he attended the premiere of his latest movie Safe Bet, an action comedy written by Carl Roddam and directed by Bonginhlanhla Ncube. It opened in South African cinemas on Friday.The movie tells the story of two young men - Frank, played by Wandile Molebatse, and Khaya, played by Godfrey Thobejane - who use stolen money, belonging to Dlamini's villainous character Doc, to place a bet on a fixed boxing match.Completed in July last year, the film also features legendary actors Macks Papo, Nandi Nyembe and Jerry Mofokeng and has won six awards in the US and Romania.story_article_right1These include Best Kids/Family Feature Film award at the Queen City Film Festival in Maryland and a special recognition award for Ncube from the California State Assembly.Acting had been his "love" since the age of nine, Dlamini said, when he was cast in the play The Baobab Tree at the Bulawayo National Theatre in Zimbabwe, where he was born.As a child he lived in the UK. He later moved between Zimbabwe and the UK where he was cast in Shakespearian plays at the Richmond and the Ealing Broadway theatrical societies, both in London. In 2001 he began living in South Africa."I decided to go professional when the opportunity arose to act in the TV drama The Res. My favourite television role ever was being Scott Nomvete [in Generations]. It was a totally new [kind of] role."Dlamini was reportedly fired from Generations after failing to call in sick, and director Mfundi Vundla killed off his character in a plane crash in December 2013. Still, Vundla describes him as "a very talented actor".The father of five is keeping busy. "I am also working on a period piece which tells our heritage stories, Eclipse: At the Battle of Isandlwana."..